Post-Pill (Birth Control)

I posted on another page, not wanting to stack up alot of already discussed stuff, but I feared not many people saw it, and maybe it was under a wrong topic?

Here's the story.

I had been on birth control for 4 years. Oct '08, I decided to stop taking them. I spotted very very lightly in november for maybe 4 days. Absolutely no sex or physical contact.

I have not had a period full blood OR spotting since... its Jan '09

I read alot about people going off and not starting for 3-6 months. Anyone familiar with this? Anything to help me?

I did have some sexual activities, but NO sex... and no sperm touching that area... I also read that pre-cum (sorry if TMI) doesn't have sperm unless it was stored from a previous ejaculation... which hadn't occured... anyone pregnant from pre-cum?

I have taken 4 pregnancy tests, all negative (paranoid of pregnancy without penetration)

I took the pregnancy tests at least 5 & 7 weeks after, and have not had sexual stuff since..

If this is post-pill amenorrhea, what can help me get back on track? Any similiar experiences? Should I do a detox and what kind?

Comments

I'm in the same boat with you :) Except, I had been on the pill for over 9 years consecutively (never getting my period)... i think our bodies just need time to adjust. Just be prepared at all times! I too am deathly afraid of pregnancy... trying to figure out a good healthy alternative to stopping my period and not getting pregnant.... going to be seeing a naturopath in the next few weeks and hopefully she'll have some good ideas for me. I did juicing for about 8 days straight hoping to detox and still didn't get my period. I had some odd discharge but that went away. I'm starting a Master Cleanse on Monday - i'll let you know if that helps at all! Good luck to you!

I've only been off for about a month, but i did this once before and stupidly decided to go back on. When i went off of it the first time, I large clot come out... i think that was my body's way of "cleansing"... i'l let you know how i make out with the cleanse!

OMG, I am in the same boat! I was on the pill for 7 years and then, after going raw for a few months, I read Conscious Eating. I started to test my pH and found I was horridly acidic- only when I was on the 'off week' of the pill and had my menses did I go anywhere near neutral. Since day 3 of not being on the pill I have been neutral or alkeline and have had not crossed 7.0. This is my first cycle without the pill and I'll never go back.

Please, please, please- do yourself a favor and read "Taking Charge of Your Fertility" by a woman named Toni (can't remember her last name). It will help you understand your cycle or lack of cycle and maybe let you know if you should talk to a practitioner. This is my form of birth control now.

Its totally liberating and will calm your pregnancy fears. It has empowered me in two ways already for this cycle. For example, this month, because I tracked my cervical fluid and took my temperature everyday, I knew that I did not ovulate. I never got the progesterone rush you are supposed to during a cycle and my cervix never opened up. So, I knew I had the possibility of a delayed period. However, Right now I am having horrid cramps and will probably menstruate soon, right on the 28th day mark. Also, more importantly, my partner and I started using condoms for the first time (for me) in 8 years! We had a little 'technical difficulty' (TMI, I know I know...) and I was worried that I could be pregnant, but because I didn't have fertile quality cervical fluid and because my temperature didn't spike, indicating progesterone, I could relax and KNOW I wasn't pregnant. I used to be a horrible worry-wart like you, and freaked out at the chance of pregnancy. Now I don't ever have to do that again. I will know if I am pregnant or when to avoid having sex so that I won't become pregnant.

Seriously, I would bet my life's worth that you are just too stressed to ovulate or there is something else going on. But, please empower yourself by RUNNING to the nearest bookstore and buying this book- don't take it out of the library, I did and wound up buying it. She even talks about ammehenorea.

when my sister in law went off the pill her period stopped for nine months, her doctor asked her to gain some weight and she did.. and that seemed to start her again. this also happened to another friend but it wasn't weight related. Just body chemistry returning to normal.

last year i missed roughly eight months due to traveling and physical activity. I'm not on the pill so that may not be relevant. (although for the first four or five months i wasn't complaining :) until i started to worry)

Oh this is SO reassuring! I stopped the pill in October last year after two years because it was giving me heart palpitations, spotted for a day and my period hasn't come back since (and heart palpitations have stopped!). But I have been having sex (using condoms) so it's been a bit stressful - which I also think could be a reason for not menstruating. I've done pregnancy tests and they're all negative, plus I just 'know' I'm not pregnant.

It's only been three months with no period and I want to wait it out now that I know it's somewhat normal. But I'm being urged to go to the doctor by my Mum and boyfriend. I don't want to, the doctors around here are just so clueless and I don't want to explain the way I eat and then be prescribed something my body does not need.

Yes it takes some time for your period to return after you stop taking the pill. I am so convinced that the pill is just horrible for women. I had been on and off it for 5 years and finally when I thought I was going crazy and my sex drive had disappeared I decided that it must be the birth control. I was right and stopping that stuff was one of the best decisions that I have ever made. Then eating a raw food diet was the next best decision that I ever made, lol!!! It was not till eating raw food and working with a yoga therapist that I started to notice real reversal of the problems I experienced with birth control. That being said I think it will take some time for your body to release all the substances that were in the birth control, so be patient.

This is definitely helpful and reassuring!! Tealight, it looks like we are in the same boat... I stopped in October too! And it looks like we both haven't gotten it yet.

It'd be pretty awesome if we ended up starting again at the same time!! haha.

I guess I'll just wait it out. I am up for an appt in March, so that's when I'll be going to the Obgyn to talk about it, hopefully talk about it. I'm changing my doctor, because last year I tried asking questions and it was like the dr. was afraid to answer them (they were sexually related, not health)

Okay, so today is my 4th day on the Master Cleanse and guess what just happened to appear tonight???? Yeah! I have to say that i'm thrilled since I started to panic a little (I'm married, but still....).

I just made an appointment to see a Naturopath too.

November i got my period twice after being on the pill - continuously for 9 years without getting my period at all. I have Endometriosis, so they put me on the pill so that i don't get my period (i just take the first 3 weeks and then go straight to the next pack). I got a little concerned since i hadn't had my period at all and then all of a sudden i had it twice about 2 weeks apart - each for 3 days. My doctor did a pelvic exam and told me i was fine. I'm not saying i'm not fine, but what on earth is a pelvic exam going to tell him anyway? That doesn't explain why i bled all of a sudden... so, that was kinda the last straw... I'll let you know how i make out with the naturopath.

Not at all - but this is the 4th or 5th time i've done it and i'm always just fasting (every few months), so it's not difficult for me. Today is day 6 - my husband is thrilled b/c he can eat in a few days :)

That book looks great. Looked it up on Amazon. Toni Weschler is the author. I'm gonna go get it this week. Besides fear of pregnancy, I also fear never knowing when I will get my period. I have nightmarish visions of getting it at a weird time while I'm wearing all white in front of masses of people.

I did get pregnant before after stopping the pill. And because I never menstruated at first I didn't think much of it. then I menstruated WHILE pregnant. Never been off the pill since.

Yay, I'm so glad! That totally makes me happy. It really changed my life and how I approach my 'monthly cycle.'

I'm sure it will do the same for you, if only to alleviate the stress of when you ovulate.

I got my first period post-pill on the 1st, but it didn't follow the normal pattern- according to the book, you are supposed to have 12 to 16 days of a temperature spike before you get your period, and if its longer then you are most likely pregnant (and if you get your period after 18 days of a temp spike you most likely miscarried). I only had 6 days of a spiked temperature. Not sure what it means, but at least I'm not pregnant!

So, don't expect perfect cycles, even if you do get your period. But enjoy the book~!

think about adding following to juices or smoothies , spirulina or chlorella powders, wheatgrass/barleygrass, for cleansing the blood and alkalising the blood , research the above and their different benefits and properties,if you are not using already.also increase sea veggies , seaweeds ,various textures and sizes and shapes available.

suppose all fruits / vegetables /herbs and berries that detoxifies and supports the liver would speed up elimination of any residue from the pill. thinking of milk thistle ,dandelion, schizandra berries. look into noni juice .

please research the following ,for natural hormonal balance: black cohosh , agnus castus(vitex),wild yam,maca,dong quai. some work wonders for some ,doesnt work at all for others. you can get combinations.

being someone that doesnt bleed , but just looking at the possible side effects from taking the pill , it being legal and globally marketed doesnt puzzle me, its the amount of women that choose it as an option !!!!

am very new to this site , so dont know what people are open to , here it goes anyway ladies . i suppose all forms of massage would be detoxifying ,promoting self healing and regulating, but then there is energy healing , which is as non intrusive as it gets. i have to mention floatation tanks here too !!!!! ( rest detox supercharge healing ).

i can only speak of the occasions where i had applied some healing in a few different scenarios,people with substance abuse.one case was a severe alcoholic who basically was on a liquid diet and lived off the sugars from the alcohol he was consuming.he said he was puking his guts out that night , a cleansing/purging process, gave him the clarity to be awake and look at some things.

another was at a big party where there was a group of friends,who had a friend in real bad shape, he was really pale and cold and sweaty , said he earlier had some speed(amphetamines) then later had a massive headache ,then took some paracetamols on top of all that .(why do people love cocktails ??) cant remember whether it was for an hr or longer, but when he came round , he wasnt pale,wasnt freezing ,could smile again .said to me "dont know what you did there , but its magic !!! and in a sense it is , if i were to tell kids about it ,it really would be magic hands.

the last case i will keep brief, serious cocaine addict ,got ridiculously out of control,about to lose long term partner,lose the business ,was a total emotional wreck !! he felt amazing,relaxed and at peace during session and afterwards too. however that night he slept really poorly , felt worse than ever the next day and emotions were raw. "healing crisis"alert . there is no way to convince them now , that its time to do more treatment .!! i would be the same in his shoes. the good news came about a week later , miraculously the relationship he thought he destroyed for good with the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with ,was given another chance,and there was the clarity/energy/focus to get the business going again,sparked up the desire to make it work. sometimes we need to be opened up and allowed to have a massive bloody cry from the depths we hardly get in touch with. release and be free !!

if you are wondering , well how does that relate to the pill, the examples are relating to detoxing/cleansing/allowing the bodys own systems to kick in/regulate and balance etc ,so to me that should also include adrenal glands/hormonal balance, havent tested so dont have "evidence" to go by. however another situation just popped in my head, was just treating someone for stress , so she could have time out from all. one thing interesting she noticed from the treatment was that usually her period was like texas chainsaw massacre , but this time it was really normal and calm !! quite un-eventful,she said. so there is evidence of menstrual cycle being affected, just need people to measure hormone levels during a treatment,that would be fascinating to see those results.

sorry ,that was an essay , got to get off laptop now, keep forgetting to take breaks from this lovely communicating machine.

i was on birth control for a few years and it took a little more than a year to get my cycle completely back to normal after i stopped taking it. it didn't happen till i started to eat super healthy. i recommend taking/eating maca everyday. it helps with the transition from birth control (regularity and fertility). veggie juice fasts are the healthiest. there might be juice bars near you that can make you fresh juice since you don't have a juicer.

also, a friend of mine was not on birth control. she used the withdrawal method for about a year successfully but then got pregnant, i guess from the pre-cum or whatever.

I just wanted to add that for years I've had trouble becoming regular on my period (It runs in the family, and plus, I'm apparently I'm not "at the age" where it typically becomes regular, as said by the other women in my family)... And so, I read about the Master Cleanse and decided to try it to see if, not only would it help me to lose a few extra pounds, but also to get my cycle regular. This last time, I got it just on day 4 of the cleanse! I was so surprised/relieved to see it there...

The Master Cleanse is a great way to go to kick some bad habits, to cleanse your body of excess weight, food allergies, all sorts of skin disorders (I have a really severe case of Dermatitis herpetiformis... those red bumps on your arms, legs, etc... which by the way, have cleared up significantly since I've been cleansing) including "boils, abscesses, carbuncles, and pimples," all "mucus diseases such as colds, flu, asthma, hay fever, sinus and bronchial troubles," all sorts of infections of the body, and more!

I'm on day 10 of my cleanse, and I feel fantastic. My energy levels are appropriate for what my body should be doing (I'm REALLY energetic when I should have energy, and I'm tired when I should be). All my friends who are not only not cleansing, but also on the SAD diet are all stunned at the results I'm getting. I don't weigh myself, but I've gone down a whole size in clothing thus far, I'm super energetic, extremely happy, have had more clarity than I have in a long time, and just generally pleasant. (And I'll add here that everyday I've been getting online and researching raw recipes that I'll be diving into once I get off the cleanse! Goal: 30 days. Stanley Burroughs says the maximum one should endeavor the Master Cleanse is 40).

If any of you are interested in the Master Cleanse, I'd recommend 2 books to you:

The Master Cleanser... with Special Needs and Problems- by Stanley Burroughs

Lose Weight, Have More Energy & Be Happier in 10 Days- by Peter Glickman

Burroughs' book has a slight Christian flare to it-- so if you're not digging that, try to ignore it, because the information in the book is worth it, even if the religious flavor bothers you a little. =)

Hope this helps, I know it's sort of a seperate topic, but seemed like a good place to spread the word... I'm sure if you tried the MC, your cycle would start to show!! Try it, let us know!!

I just want to say that yes, you can get pregnant from pre-cum. That is how I got pregnant when I was 19... pull out method is NOT reliable no matter what people say. It's all a matter of chance. Most men do not realize one bit when they pre-ejaculate so there is no way of telling.

At any rate...in response to..

"being someone that doesnt bleed , but just looking at the possible side effects from taking the pill , it being legal and globally marketed doesnt puzzle me, its the amount of women that choose it as an option !!!! "

Let me just say that women choose it as an option because most doctors are not straight-forward about the ill effects the pill has. More so, they will even encourage it. At almost every visit I had with my ex-doctor and I expressed my concerns about the pill, the response I always got was something along the lines of "Oh, that's normal, don't worry, you're in good shape" blah blah BLAH.

Furthermore, I don't think that we totally understand the effects the Pill has on women completely, and the things we *think* we know about it seem to change from time to time.

Personally, I think that the pharmaceutical companies have so much power that even Doctors are led astray and led to believe that some of these medications are a godsend when in fact they are dangerous. I also have read that Pharmaceutical companies will sometimes pay off medical college students' tuition or grant them huge scholarships, meaning that they rope these Doctors in the first chance they get. Some doctors may even be smart enough to realize that these medications are dangerous, but since it's pretty much how they make their money, they hand it out like candy anyway. Honestly, the whole Pharmaceutical industry is really, excuse my language, fucked, and it has more control over our society than a lot of people realize.

So, I wouldn't blame it on the women who choose the pill as an option. And even the women who are aware and choose it as an option... are probably the same women who also eat a bunch of HFCS and Hydrogenated oils, etc. Keep in mind that while all of us here pay special mind to what we put in our bodies, much of the world still fails to do so. It doesn't surprise me in the least that some women knowingly put themselves at this risk, when a lot of people knowingly drink soda, or smoke cigarettes knowing that it's horrible for them.

Anyway I just came off the pill and I'm hoping that I won't be too delayed with my period. I was only on it 2 years so I'm hoping that should help matters. I'm going the extra distance to find a doctor who will perform a tubal ligation for me since kids are not a part of my future.

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